There are some first steps to take as soon as you know you are HIV+.
Choosing a healthcare provider
One of the first steps towards HIV treatment is finding the right healthcare provider. You may want to keep these things in mind:
- It’s a good idea to choose a healthcare provider who has a lot of experience treating people with HIV
- Choose a healthcare provider you trust and feel comfortable with. You will make many treatment decisions together. The relationship you and your healthcare provider build is important for your health
Learn all you can about HIV
Knowing as much as you can about HIV is one of the most powerful weapons in your fight against the virus. There are many ways and places you can get the information you need to know, such as:
- This Web site: www.APositiveLife.com
- Other Web sites
- Magazines for people with HIV
- Phone information hotlines
- Health clinic staff—doctors, nurses, and social workers
- Your local AIDS service organization (ASO)
Make healthy lifestyle choices
Your lifestyle choices matter. They can affect how well your treatment works in the future. You make good choices for your health when you:
- Eat healthy foods
- Stay physically active
- Stop (or at least limit) smoking, heavy drinking, and using street drugs
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